50 Public Speaking Techniques (for yoga teachers) 50 Presentation Techniques

“Public Speaking”
for Yoga Teachers
50 Tools You Can Use to Become a
Brilliant Speaker and Yoga Teacher

By Akash P Karia
www.CommunicationSkillsTips.com

1 Created by AkashKaria | Learn more at CommunicationSkillsTips.com

About Akash Karia
Akash Karia is an award-winning speaker, trainer
and presentation skills coach. He has conducted
presentation skills courses for employees and
members of organizations such
as HSBC, Polytechnic University, Life Underwriters
Association of Hong Kong and many, many more…

Akash is also champion
speaker and has won over 40 public speaking
championships, including the prestigious titles of: JCI
2012 Hong Kong Champion of Public
Speaking, Toastmasters International Division
K Impromptu Speaking Champion and has been
ranked as one of the Top 10 Speakers in Asia
Pacific.

He is available to conduct public speaking and persuasion skills training.
Contact him on akash.speaker@gmail.com or visit his website for more
details: www.CommunicationSkillsTips.com


1
What is “Public Speaking?”
 I use the term “public speaking” broadly to refer to any situation where you have
to speak to a group of 2 or more people
 Many of the techniques you will pick up in this “public speaking for yoga
teachers” guide can be used in meetings, interviews and even social situations
 This e-book contains links to articles that contain more information about the
tools we discussed during the Public Speaking course.
 WARNING: This is not a “magical guide” which will transform you into a better
speaker overnight. However, the application of these techniques will make you
two times the speaker that you are today.


2
Pause: Don’t Start Until You’re
Ready
 Don’t be afraid to pause
 Pausing allows you to calm down your nerves
 Take in a couple of deep belly-breaths to calm yourself down
 Pausing allows everyone to get on the same vibration/ energy-level
 If you’re facing a noisy class, wait until the room is silent and focusing on you
 Don’t start speaking your class until you’re ready and everyone’s focused on you


3
Get into the Right Mindset
 When you get nervous, shift your mindset
 It’s not about you, it’s about your students (audience). Don’t focus on yourself,
focus on your students. Realize that you have the opportunity to change
someone’s life, heal someone’s soul every time you teach yoga
 Remind yourself how yoga has changed your life, and realize you have the same
opportunity to do that for someone else.
 Once you tap into that positive, value-giving mindset, you’ll find it easier to teach
without being self-conscious


4
What Story Are You Telling
Yourself?
 It’s okay to be nervous. Everyone experiences butterflies before an important
event
 Scientifically, there is no difference between nervousness and excitement
 It’s what you choose to label it
 Are you telling yourself, “I’m excited” or are you telling yourself, “I’m nervous”?
 Either way, you’re right…because it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy


5
Use the Confidence Posture
 If you’re nervous, use the “military-posture”
 The military-posture has been proven to increase your confidence levels
 Before the event, walk around in the confidence posture…it’ll boost your
confidence levels
 Check out this brilliant article on the 5 Parts of Your Body Your Audience is
Listening To


6
Starting/ Ending Your Class
 Affirmations: “I make the positive resolve that I will allow myself to experience
perfect mental, emotional and physical health throughout my yoga practice today”
 Set an intention for the class
 Set a theme or a focus for your class: “We will focus on stamina…”
 Quote a powerful scripture
 Start with a chant/ mantra to get everyone on the same vibration
 Start with soft music in the background to get everyone on the same energy level
 Introduce yourself by sharing your Personal Story…stories are powerful!


7
Don’t ever Admit You’re
Nervous
 Don’t apologize or admit you’re nervous at the start of a session
 Don’t say, “I’m sorry, I haven’t prepared…”
 Don’t say, “I’m sorry, I’m so nervous…I’ve had a terrible day”
 Once you admit you’re nervous, it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy…your mind and
your body will act in congruence with what you say
 Moreover, if you admit you’re nervous, your students will start looking for signs
of your nervousness…


8
Set Expectations at the
Beginning of Class
 No talking during class, turn off your mobile phones…
 Outline your rules and expectations at the beginning of class
 Do so in a humorous way – don’t be condescending or patronizing
 Use humor to convey the rules (remember the “idiot whose phone was ringing
during class and it turned out the idiot was me” story?)


9
Let Students Know they Don’t
Have to Push Themselves
beyond their Physical
Boundaries
 “Be responsible for your own practice…you don’t have to push yourself beyond
your physical boundaries…Respect your body…”


10
Use Inviting Language
 If you’re comfortable…
 Allow yourself…
 Let yourself be…
 Endeavor to…
 I invite you to…


11
Soften Your Commands with
“Let’s”
 Use the word “Let’s” to soften your commands
 Instead of saying “Keep quiet”, say “Let’s keep quiet” or “Let’s focus on our yoga
practice”


12
Don’t Dilute the Power of Your
Words with “Try to…”
 Don’t say: “Try to imagine yourself…” Instead say “Imagine yourself…”
 Don’t say: “Try to feel…” Instead say, “Feel…”


13
The Sweetest Sound in Any
Language
 The sweetest sound in any language is the person’s name…
 Try and memorize your students names
 Use your students names when giving instructions
 Check out this article for tips on how to remember someone’s name


14
Acknowledge, Label & Let It
Go Technique
 When students are obviously struggling with stresses of the day, use the
“Acknowledge, Label and Let It Go” technique
 Invite your students to:
o Acknowledge the emotion
o Label the emotion for what it is
o Let it go


15
Use Imagery & Visual
Language to Make it Easier for
Your Students to Understand
 “…thread running up your spine” visual


16
Laughter is the Best Medicine
 Incorporate humor into your sessions
o “For those of you who do know me, my name is Akash. And for those of you
who do not know me, my name is still Akash” (side note: apologies, I seem
to have forgotten who this originated from )
 Use self-deprecating humor: “I know you were expecting a handsome man…I’m
so sorry to disappoint you!”
 Exaggerated facial expressions also make people laugh


17
Stand with Your Feet Shoulder-
width Apart
 When you’re standing, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart…it conveys
confidence
 Don’t stand with your feet too close together because it conveys lack of security
 Feet too far apart = aggressiveness
 Swaying back and forth = unsure of yourself


18
Don’t Walk Back and Forth
 When you take a step forward towards your audience, it creates intimacy...so step
forward when you have an important point to make
 Taking a step backwards creates a negative feeling in your audience
members…almost like you’re lying or trying to hide something
 Avoid rocking back and forth on your feet…it’s distracting
 Check out this video for more information on walking backwards and forwards
and the psychological impact it has on your audience


19
Don’t Pace Back and Forth
Like a Caged Tiger
 Don’t pace back and forth like a caged tiger
 It’s distracting because it’s movement without a purpose
 Feel free to move on stage, but only as long as your movement serves a purpose
 For example, you can use the stage as a timeline so that the left side of the stage
indicates the past, the center = the present, the right side = the future
 For more information on stage usage, click here


20
Scan and Stop Technique for
Eye Contact
 Make eye contact with all sides of the room
 Be sure not to isolate any side of the room by not making eye contact with that
section
 Use the “Scan and Stop” technique for eye contact
 Scan the room when you speak, making eye contact with students for about a
second or so…
 When you come to a very important or poignant point, stop and make eye contact
with one person and deliver your line/dialogue/point to him/her


21
Don’t Close Your Eyes when
You Ask Students to Close
Theirs
 Don’t Close your eyes when you ask students to close theirs
 You want to be aware of what your students are doing
 There are, of course, exceptions to this rule (such as when you’re chanting)


22
If You Forget What You Were
Saying…
 If you forget what you were saying, simply ask your students: “Where was I?” or
“What was I saying?”
 Your students (audience members) do NOT want to see you fail…
 If you forget where you were, don’t worry…it’s no big deal
 You can recover simply by asking your students where you were


23
Use Mind-maps to Plan Your
Class
 Use a mind-map to plan your class
 Instead of writing everything word for word, simply create a flow-chart of poses
or a mind-map so that you know the sequence you’ll be following
 For more information about creating mind-maps, click here


24
Avoid the “Yoga-Voice”
 Avoid the long-syllables and high-pitched yoga voice
 Speak conversationally and in your normal tone of voice


25
When Giving a Command or
an Instruction, Make Your
Voice Slightly Deeper (lower in
pitch)
 When you want to convey authority, your voice should go down a notch (a
slightly lower pitch/deeper voice is associated with authority)


26
Keep it Conversational
 “Public speaking” is simply having a conversation with one person…with 99
other people listening in
 Focus on having a conversation with the audience…one person at a time…
 Once you change you realize that public speaking is simply an enlarged
conversation with many people, you’ll become much more relaxed during your
next “public speaking” event


27
Shorter Sentences = Greater
Clarity
 Keep your sentences short, simple and conversational
 Avoid using multiple conjunctions in one sentence (i.e. “and….and…and”)
 Shorter sentences aid comprehension
 Remember to pause between your sentences – this sounds like such an obvious
thing to say, but as speakers we sometimes forget this simple rule and speak too

quickly because we’re nervous. Pause and allow your audience members to digest
the information you’ve just given them.

28
Pause After You Ask a
Question
 During our training, too many speakers forgot to pause after they asked a question
(you know who you are!)
 After you ask a question, pause to give audience members time to respond…or, if
you’re not expecting a response, pause and give them time to think!
o “How are you feeling today?” (Pause, make eye contact and wait for a
response)
o “Any questions?” (Pause and wait for your students to think about what


questions they have)

29
Use Your Hands to Show What
You’re Saying
 Don’t keep your hands glued to your sides or behind your back
 Use your hands naturally to show what you’re saying
 You can start off speaking with your hands mid-way up (not down by your sides)
and your hands will automatically move naturally once as gain confidence during
your presentation


30
The “Err…” Error
 Work on decreasing your um’s and errs…
 Slow down your speaking rate and don’t be afraid to pause
 Instead of erring, PAUSE!
 This technique will take a lot of practice…
 You’ll have to overcome the power of habit…
 But if you keep reminding yourself to pause, you will eventually be “um”-free!


31
Share Your Personal Story
 Stories are POWERFUL!
 When promoting/marketing your class, share your personal story because…
 “People can resist a sales message…but no one can resist a well told story”


32
The Five C’s of Storytelling
 Characters
 Conflict
 Cure
 Change
 Carryout Message
 Check out this article for more details about the 5 C’s of Storytelling


33
Use Fresh Language to Breathe
New Life to Your Classes
 Come up with new analogies and metaphors to breathe life into your classes
 Use your expanded knowledge of anatomy to explain poses and concepts


34
Examples of Fresh Language to
Breathe Life in Your Classes
 “Offer your heart”
 “Arms at 6 o’clock”
 “Feel your new, energized and rejuvenated body”
 “Windmill your hands”
 “Melt your shoulders back”
 “Be like the letter T”


34.1
More Examples of Fresh
Language to Breathe New Life
to Your Classes
 “Allow your breath to seep back in”
 “Imagine you are drawing back a bow”
 “Bring your awareness back to yourself on the mat”
 “Focus on the furthest sound” strategy


Part 2:

How to Handle
Difficult Situations &
Students
Tools to Help You Take Control of Your
Class when Your Class is Getting Out of
Hand

35
Difficult Situations You May
Face:
 Students coming in late to your classes
 Students leaving during class
 Students chatting during class
 Students laughing during class
 Mobile phones ringing during class
 Students wearing inappropriate clothing
 “Expert-student” who disagrees with you because of something they read


36
Make Sure All Students Read
and Sign a Copy of Your “Yoga
Guidelines”
 Have a list of guidelines and rules
 Make sure all your students read these guidelines so they know what to expect
 Make them sign a copy of these guidelines before they come to your first class
 Students are more likely to comply with your rules if the rules are written down
and they have agreed to follow these rules in writing


37
Stick a Copy of the “Yoga
Guidelines” where they can be
seen by the students
 Print out, laminate and stick a copy of your “Yoga guidelines” on the walls
 This will serve to remind students of what behaviors are expected during class
 This is the Law of Authority in practice: people will almost never argue with
something that has been written down and signed by a higher authority (i.e. your
yoga studio management)


38
Make Sure You Are Legally
Protected
 Sometimes, you may have to refuse entry to students who always disrupt the class
 In this case, make sure you are legally protected
 When students first come in to your studio, make them sign your “Yoga
Guidelines”…
 …and in your Yoga Guidelines, make sure to include a line that reads similar to
“the Yoga Studio/ owner/ I/ have the right to refuse entry to anyone who doesn’t
follow these rules”


39
Set Expectations at the
Beginning of Class
 At the beginning of class, quickly go over the guidelines
o “If you need to leave class, please do so quietly…To avoid any disturbance
during class, please let’s turn of our mobile phones”


40
“If Looks Could Kill…”
 If a student is laughing/talking during class, make eye contact with them
 This will indirectly send the message that you want them to keep quiet


41
Proximity
 If a student is laughing/talking during class, move closer to him/her
 The proximity will alert the student that you want them to stop talking


42
Talk to the Student Privately
 If a particular student keeps distracting the class, talk the student privately - either
during class (by tapping them on the shoulder and whispering “Let’s keep the
talking down and focus on our yoga practice”) or after class.
 Don’t humiliate the student publicly because it’s likely that he/she will never
come back


43
Address the Behavior Early
Before It Gets Out of Control
 Don’t wait until a behavior gets out of control
 Address it early on and it’ll be much easier to change it


44
Why before What
 When asking people to change their behavior, always give the why before the
what
 Give a reason as to why you want the student to change their behavior


45
Don’t Get into a Heated Debate
During Class
 If a student challenges you during class, don’t go into a heated discussion during
class
 Simply tell the student why you believe what you believe…
 Tell them that they are welcome to continue this discussion after class
 Finish off with, “From my experience, I’ve found it to be true that…”
 Handle the discussion calmly and your students will respect you


46
Speak Louder:
“We’ll Begin When You’re
Ready”
 If your class is getting out of hand (e.g. students are beginning to chat) then…
 Speak louder to grab your student’s attentions
 Use the phrase, “We’ll begin when you’re ready”


47
Speak Softer
 If your class is getting out of hand (e.g. students are beginning to chat) then…
 Speak softer to grab your students attention
 Lowering your volume causes your listeners to lean in to hear what you’re saying
– they have to work harder to listen to what you have to say
 So, should you speak louder or speak softer? Depends on the situation. Try out
both strategies to see what works for you.


48
Silence is Powerful
 One of the mistakes I’ve seen speakers make is that they continue talking even
when the rest of the class is chatting and not listening
 If your class begins chatting, be silent and make eye contact with a couple of the
students who are paying attention to you
 Wait until everyone is listening to you before you go on speaking


49
“Ding!” – Use a Bell
 Here’s a simple yet very effective technique:
 Use a bell to grab your students attention
 Ring the bell and the message will get around that you want everyone to focus on
you


50
Recommended Resources
 For more free public speaking and communication tips, head over to
 Recommended Book [Body Language]: Definitive Guide of Body Language
 Recommended Book [Persuasion]: Influence, by Dr. Robert Cialdini
 Recommended Book [Public Speaking]: Stand Like Churchill Speak Like Lincoln

Feel free to contact me on akash.speaker@gmail.com with any questions you may have.


51
Feel Free Share This E-Book
 Feel free to share this e-book with your friends
 I release the copyright on this e-book, which means that you can share it on your
blog, print it out, pass it around…do whatever you like…although I would
appreciate it if you could give me credit for my work

Akash Karia
akash.speaker@gmail.com


About Akash Karia
Akash Karia is an award-winning speaker, trainer
and presentation skills coach. He has conducted
presentation skills courses for employees and
members of organizations such
as HSBC, Polytechnic University, Life Underwriters
Association of Hong Kong and many, many more…

Akash is also champion
speaker and has won over 40 public speaking
championships, including the prestigious titles of: JCI
2012 Hong Kong Champion of Public
Speaking, Toastmasters International Division
K Impromptu Speaking Champion and has been
ranked as one of the Top 10 Speakers in Asia
Pacific.

He is available to conduct public speaking and persuasion skills training.
Contact him on akash.speaker@gmail.com or visit his website for more
details: www.CommunicationSkillsTips.com


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